Alaska News

Hot Picks: Daniel Tosh, Bitcoins, IditaZoo

Sci-Fi Flicks and Facts

The Anchorage Museum will pair scientific facts with delightfully cheesy science fiction with a showing of the 1957 film "Attack of the Crab Monsters." In the film, a group of scientists travel to a remote island to study the effects of nuclear weapons tests, only to get stranded and discover the island is occupied by crabs that have mutated into enormous, intelligent monsters. After the film, get your crab-monster questions answered during a discussion on zooarchaeology with UAA science professor Diane Hanson. 7 p.m. Thursday, Anchorage Museum, 625 C St. Free. (929-9201, anchoragemuseum.org)

Mardi Gras party

Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday," and in New Orleans it's a day of feasting, parades and general revelry before the beginning of Lent. Here in Anchorage, you can get in on the party this weekend. The American Legion Post 34 is sponsoring a Mardi Gras celebration featuring Cajun-Creole music, a large dance floor, door prizes and Cajun-Creole food including gumbo, alligator, jambalaya, red beans and rice, crawfish, boudin, Pat O'Brien's Hurricanes and more. Food will be served from 3-11 p.m.; dancing until 1 a.m. Mardi Gras dress code encouraged. Tickets are $40 or $10 for kids 12 and younger. 3 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday, American Legion Post 34, 916 Ingra St. (360-6052 or 301-4405)

IditaZoo

Meet mushers and their dogs at the Alaska Zoo to celebrate dog mushing, the Alaska state sport. Participants can "race" through zoo grounds playing the checkpoint game, view Iditarod race standings and get hands-on with equipment for winter dog sports. Contact Stephanie Hartman at 341-6463 for information. Noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Alaska Zoo, 4731 O'Malley Road. Regular zoo admission, $7-$15. (341-6463, alaskazoo.org/iditazoo)

Daniel Tosh

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Stand-up comedian Daniel Tosh will perform two sold-out shows in one night in Anchorage. Tosh is known for his Comedy Central show "Tosh.0," which delves into all corners of the Internet, from the absurd to the ingenious. 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, March 8, Atwood Concert Hall.

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Bitcoins

They're all over the news, but how do bitcoins actually work? Kyle Hampton, professor in the UAA economics department, and Jacob Sears, UAF student and writer for the Bitcoin Blogger, come together to discuss this global phenomenon. There is free parking at UAA on Fridays. 4-6 p.m. Friday, UAA Campus Bookstore, Spirit Drive. Free. (uaa.alaska.edu/bookstore)

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